This application relates generally to payment and access-control instruments. More specifically, this application relates to instruments that combine payment and access control.
In recent years, the number of instruments that are carried by individuals have proliferated significantly. It is not uncommon for an individual to carry multiple payment instruments in the form of credit cards, debit cards, stored-value cards, and the like, to carry multiple identification cards in the form of a driver's license, a library card, and the like; and to carry multiple access-control cards in the form of an office-building access card, a healthclub access card, and the like. The number of instruments and the variety of functionalities that they have represent a source of inconvenience for many holders of these instruments. There is a general need recognized in the art to simplify the manner in which the functionality of different instruments is implemented to mitigate this proliferation.
At the same time, there has been an increased emphasis throughout the world on security issues. Part of this emphasis has been driven by a number of highly visible terrorist attacks that have taken place in Asia, Europe, and North America. But more generally, there is an increased awareness that a variety of institutional facilities and infrastructure components are vulnerable to interference by hostile parties, whatever their motivations. This vulnerability is due at least in part to an increase in the sophistication of methods being used by hostile parties, who have recently demonstrated an increased ability to execute schemes requiring coordination among multiple individuals in different locations. A need to anticipate potential attacks by these kinds of parties is also recognized in the art.